It has been a banner year for rookie hitters. Pitching and defense rule the game these days, but this new crop of hitters looks to turn the tide. There's thunder in these bats. Guys like Joc Pederson, Kris Bryant, Miguel Sano, Francisco Lindor, etc. have shown flashes of brilliance with even brighter futures ahead, but one rookie in particular jumped out. He stood out to the Astros in 2012 when they took him first overall and he's already made a splash at the highest level. Carlos Correa, come on down! When the Astros selected Correa it was seen by some as a value pick as Houston saved some money on his pick compared to their other options. At this time (2012) I had just dipped my toes in the water for player evaluation and while I didn't think Correa was bad, I never saw such an insanely bright future. I like guys with good swings, and frankly Correa's was a bit rough around the edges coming out of high school. I love guys who work at their swings and find that next level and Correa certainly did that. To show how far he's come, here's his swing from the Perfect Game National Showcase compared to his current big league swing.

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When people hear that a player has a hitch, it usually holds a negative connotation. But that's not always the case.

Hitters are athletes and athletes like to move. A hitch allows hitters to move. When most people hear the word “hitch” they assume the worst. A hitter with a hitch needs to get rid of it! Grab the pitchforks and torches! Burn the hitch!

The results are plain to see, but Joc Pederson's mechanics are also a thing of beauty.

Joc Pederson’s swing steals its inspiration from the greatest movie on Nick Cannon’s filmography. I speak of course of the 2002 classic film Drumline. For those of you who haven’t turned on USA or TNT in the midafternoon, this film tells the story of a talented drummer who finds real success when his drumline blends the soul of old-school music with the appeal of new-school sound.

A preview of the power bats and hit-tool prospects who our resident hitting coach is most looking forward to getting eyes on this spring.

Next week will be my version of Disney World. The wonderful land of unrelenting sun, waves of chain restaurants, and an endless supply of baseball talent awaits. Of course, I’m talking about spring training in Arizona. Unlike the talent on the ball fields, my time in the greater Phoenix area will be limited. During my seven-day stay these are some of the key hitters I plan to study.

The swing of one of the greatest hitters to ever grace the field is broken down.

There are good hitters, there are great hitters, and there is The Hitter. Ted Williams is the gold standard when it comes to honing and crafting a swing. While there were other hitters who put up better statistics or had better raw physical tools, there is no one who could more accurately be described as the physical embodiment of what it meant to be a hitter. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the pure genius that was Williams’ swing.